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1925 Kissel Model 55

For 1925, the Kissel Car Company produced the Model 55 (6-55) and the Model 75. Both of these had a Standard and DeLuxe range. With at least ten body styles in each, there were over 40 styles to chose from. the Model 55 had a six-cylinder engine delivering just over 50 horsepower while the Model 75 was fitted with an eight-cylinder unit delivering 70 horsepower.

The Kissel Company began producing cars in 1906 in Hartford, Wisconsin. They produced a high-quality vehicle which they called the Kissel Kar. At the onset of World War I, the name was changed to 'Kissel.' The company would remain in business until 1930.

Fred Werner and Will Kissel designed the two-passenger speedster, which was introduced in 191. By 1921, the Kissel sports model was styled with cycle-type fenders and steep plates in place of running boards. They had cut-down door, wire wheels, and dual side-mounted spare tires. As the years continued, so did the enhancements and improvements to the Kissel Speedsters.

By 1925, the six-cylinder 6-55 Speedster sold for $1,795. They came standard with dual rear-fender golf-bag holders.

by Dan Vaughan

Speedster

Louis Kissel and his Sons began manufacturing vehicles in 1906 in Hartford, Wisconsin. The company custom-built high-quality automobiles, hearses, fire trucks, taxicabs, and trucks.

Perhaps Kissel's most famous and enduring product was the 6-55 Gold Bug Speedster. The 'Gold Bug' designation came from a naming contest for the sports car organized by Kissel and was chosen from over 500 submissions.

This special order Gold Bug Speedster was delivered to its first owner in Crystal Falls, Michigan and is the only one built in 1925. Kissel called the engines 'Advanced Engineered Motors'. The 61 hp engine was capable of producing speeds approaching 100 mph.

The cars were very popular among sports personalities and the Hollywood elite. Of the 35,000 automobiles the company produced, only 150 are known to exist today.

This Model 6-55 Speedster was factory-equipped with an additional $410 options, including 4-wheel hydraulic brakes, Clymer spotlights, and a floor heater. Kissel built very few 6-55 Speedsters in 1925, and according to the Hartford Heritage Museum, this example is the only known Speedster in existence. The 6-55 Speedster's ownership history is recorded from new.

by Dan Vaughan